Antenna



April 12, 1960 ODENWALD 2,932,367

- ANTENNA Filed May 19, 1955 Fig 1 Fig.2

Inventor: Hf;\m\i\ QdenwoAd W MQS YMW if Unit Y ANTENNA Application May 19, 1955, Serial No. 509,538 In Germany September 23, 1949 Public Law 619, August 23, 1954 Patent expires September 23, 1969 8 Claims. Cl. 189-23 The present invention relates to antennas.

More particularly, the present invention relates to rod' antennas such as telescopic antennas which are adapted to be mounted on vehicles or the like.

There exist rod or 'whip antennas which are resiliently mounted on vehicles and the like and are thus capable of being bent when striking an obstruction, such as branches, overhead bridges and the like. The instant the obstruction becomes disengaged from the antenna, the latter before permanently regaining its original position will oscillate for relatively long periods of time. Asa result, the spacing between the antenna and the chassis body or other metallic parts of the vehicle will constantly change, thereby continually varying the electrical characteristics of the antenna. This, in turn, produces unsatisfactory radio reception and transmission. 0

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide an antenna which is capable of overcoming the above disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rod antenna which will not oscillate after being engaged by an obstruction, especially during movement of the vehicle or the like upon which the antenna is mounted.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an antenna the position of which is readily ad- 0 justable.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists :in a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion and at one end of the first rod portion a flexible non-elastic second rod portion which may be integral with the first rod portion or which maybe a separate member secured thereto. The second rod portion, while relatively stifi, is made of a more flexible material and offers less resistance to bending than at least the adjacent end of the first rod portion. The second rod portion is adapted to be secured by an attaching means to a support so that when a deflecting force is applied to the antenna while the same is secured to a support, the antenna will bend at the second rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position. The second rod portion is preferably made of annealed material. 7

' The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its. method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 65

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of .another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing and to Fig. 1 thereof in particular, there is shown a telescopic or rod antenna 1 composed of a main or first rod portion 1a, 1b, which S ttes Patent C We portion 1a.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the antenna" 11 includes a telescopic section 11a and one, or motel sections 11b forming the first rod portion, and a second rod portion 15 which offers less resistance to bending" than the rod portion 11a, 11b and is secured theretov ice includes one or more telescopic sections. The lower end of the antenna is secured, by means of a suitable attaching means 2, to a support 3 which may be the body of a motor vehicle or the like. The antenna may be electrically connected to radio apparatus by means of a cable 4.

' The lower part of the antenna 1, designated/at 5,:

second rod portion 5. The first rod portion 1a, 1b andthe second rod portion 5 form part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna. Also, the second rod portion'5 is located between the attaching means 2 and the first rod portion 1a, lb and has a length which is'only a small fraction of the length of the first rod portion."

The above may be achieved by rendering the second rod portion 5 softer or more supple or yieldable than the rod portion 1a, and it has been found that this-may be done by annealing the rod portion 5.

Alternatively, if the physical properties of the rod portion 1a and the rod portion 5 are to bekept the same, these portions may have different cross-sectional configurations so that the rod portion 5 is capable of being bent more easily than the rod portion 1a.- If desired, the rod portion 5 may be annealed and also be provided with a cross-sectional configuration dilferent' from that of the cross-sectional configuration of the rod portion 1a.

Any suitable combination of the above factors may be incorporated in an antenna according to the present invention so long as the resistance to bending of the rod portion 5 is less than the resistance to bending of at least that end of the rod portion 1a which adjoins the rod portion 5.

It will be understood from the above that when a deflecting force is applied to the antenna, the same will bend at the rod portion 5 and will remain in such bent position in view of the fact that the rod portion 5 is a non-elastic one. The antenna may then be manually returned to its original, or, if desired, to any other position.

v In practice, the rod portionS is relatively stiff. andv will support the antenna in any present position, and maybe bent repeatedly without breaking.

The rod portion 5 may be formed integral with the rod portion 1a, and may be annealed or subjected to other suitable processes for rendering rod portion 5 more yieldable than the rod portion la. Alternatively;

V Inasmuch as the moment of force exerted on the rod portion 5 by a transverse deflecting force acting on the antenna is directly proportional to the distance between the rod portion 5 and the point at which this force acts,

the physical characteristics and/or cross-sectional con-v figuration of the antenna may vary gradually in such a manner that the resistance to bending of an upper part of the antenna is smaller than the resistance to bending.

of a lower part. Consequently, the upper section 1b rod may have a smaller cross-sectional area thanthe Patented Apr. 12;, 1960.

as shown the drawing. Rod portion 15 is of a smaller diameter than rod portion 11a. The antenna may be mounted on a support 13 by a suitable attaching means 12, and a cable 14 may be provided for electrically connecting the antenna to radio apparatus.

The.rod portion 15 corresponds to theisecond rod portion .of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, and while made of relatively stiff material is more flexible and therefore offers less resistance to bending thanthe rod portion 11a, so that when a deflecting force is applied to the antenna the. same will bend at the rod portion 15. The rodportion 15 may, if desired, be made separately from the remainder of the antenna of a material similar to the material of which the rod portion 11a is made. The rod portion 15 may be annealed so as to render it more supple or yieldable, and after having had the desirable characteristics imparted thereto, be attached to the rod portion 11a in any suitable manner.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, .or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of antennas differing from the types described above.

. While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a rod antenna adapted to be mounted on vehicles or the like, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

' 1. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion and at one end of said first rod portion a flexible non-elastic second rod portion fixed to and extending from said end of said first ro'd portion and forming an extension thereof, said second rod portion offering less resistance to bending in all directions than at least the part of said first rod portion in the region of said end thereof and being adapted to be secured to a support, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

'2. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion and a flexible nonelastic second rod portion fixed to and forming an extension of said first rod portion, said second rod portion offering less resistance to bending in all directions than said first rod portion, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna, said antenna will bend at saidsecond rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna 'to a support, said second rod portionbeing located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

3. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion and at one end of said first rod portion a flexible non-elastic second rod portion, fixed to and forming an extension of said first rod portion and being more flexible in all directions than said first rod portion and adapted to be secured to a support, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while secured to a support, said antenna will bend at said second rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna and said second rod portion being bendable by hand so that, after deflection of the antenna, the latter can be returned by hand to its original position; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

4. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna hav ing an elongated first rod portion and at one end of said first rod portion a flexible non-elastic second rod portion integral with and forming an extension of said first rod portion, said second rod portion being more flexible in alldirections than said first rod portion and adapted to be secured to a support, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while secured to a support, said antenna will bend at said second rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna and said second rod portion being bendable by hand so that, after deflection of the antenna, the latter can be returned by hand to its original position; and attaching means connected to amend of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

5. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion and at one end thereof a flexible non-elastic second rod portion integral with and forming an extension of said first rod portion, said second rod portion being annealed and thereby rendered more flexible in all directions than said first rod portion and adapted to be secured to a support, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while secured to a support, said antenna will bend at said second rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distance from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of'the length of said first rod portion.

6. As an article of manufacture, a rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion, and a flexible nonelastic second rod portion secured at one end thereof to one end of said first rod portion, said second rod portion being made of a more flexible material and offering less resistance to bending in all directions than said first rod portion and being adapted to be secured at the otherend thereof to a support, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while said second rod portion is secured at said other end thereof to a support,

an end of said second rod portion distance from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a portion in the region of said end thereof and having a.

diameter which is not greater than that of said first rod portion, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while the same is secured to a support, said antenna will bend at said second rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transrnitting structure of the antenna; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located be tween said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

8. As an article of manufacture, a substantially cylindrical rod antenna having an elongated first rod portion I and at one end thereof a flexible non-elastic second rod portion fixed to and forming an extension of said first rod portion and adapted to be secured to a support, said second rod portion having a diameter smaller than that of said first rod portion and consequently otfering less resistance to bending in all directions than does said first rod portion, whereby when a deflecting force is applied to said antenna while the same is secured to a support, said antenna will bend at said second'rod portion thereof and will remain in such bent position, said first and second rod portions forming part of the signal transmitting structure of the antenna; and attaching means connected to an end of said second rod portion distant from said first rod portion for attaching the antenna to a support, said second rod portion being located between said attaching means and said first rod portion and having a length which is only a small fraction of the length of said first rod portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,324 Hall May 5, 1914 2,123,414 Gilmore July 12, 1938 2,144,038 Trump Jan. 17, 1939 2,379,577 Harsted July 3, 1945 2,454,897 Trowbridge Nov. 30, 1948 3 2,536,733 Finke et a1. Jan. 2, 1951 

